Media Contact: Rob Mainieri (858) 658-7239 or Pat JaCoby (858) 534-7404

STUDENTS SEEK ROBOT BUILDING FUNDS

Approximately 140 pounds of random parts and gears will be transformed into a remote-controlled robot if students at The Preuss School at the University of California, San Diego raise enough money.

The students want to participate in the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) competition (www.usfirst.org/FRCindex.html), according to Rob Mainieri, math teacher and robotics coordinator at The Preuss School UCSD.

To participate in the national contest in Florida, the student team needs to raise $75,000.  “The students are doing fundraising events,” said Mainieri, “but we need a $2,000 deposit by Feb. 10.”  Those wishing to help the team may contact Mainieri at (858) 658-7239.

The official building part of the competition began in January when each team was given two 70-pound crates of random parts, gears, etc., along with the rules for the 2002 competition.  The teams then have six weeks to design, build, and test their remote-controlled robots. 

“The students not only design and build the robot, which is rather complex,” explains Mainieri, “but they also work with engineers of various disciplines to understand what a 'real' engineer does from start to finish.

“With the competition, FIRST also strives to teach high school students about gracious professionalism, fair play, and sportsmanship.”

This is the first year a team from San Diego has attempted to enter the competition, said Mainieri, who has been involved in the program in other areas for five years.

“Our goal at Preuss,” he continued, “is to develop an integrated robotics curriculum to teach students about engineering, and how math and science are applied in the real world. Next year, we hope to have five teams from area high schools.”

The Preuss School UCSD provides an intensive college preparatory education program for low-income students in grades 6-12 who are motivated to attend college and who would represent the first generation in their families to graduate from a four-year university.  Chartered in 1998 under the San Diego Unified School District, the school has a current enrollment of 498 students and will reach a maximum enrollment of 700 by 2004.